(CHICAGO, IL, 11/30/07) - On Saturday, December 1, Ahmed Rehab representing the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago) and the Illinois Coalition for Immigration and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) will take part in the Heartland Presidential Forum in Des Moines, Iowa by asking a presidential candidate whether she or he would be ready to join the ongoing civil rights movement, if elected.

Candidates participating in the forum are Sen. Hillary Clinton, Sen. John Edwards, Sen. Christopher Dodd, Congressman Dennis Kucinich and Sen. Barack Obama. The entire forum, which is sponsored by the Center for Community Change (CCC) and Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (CCI), will air live on C-SPAN at 2:00 PM Central time.

The Heartland Presidential Forum, which is expected to draw 5,000 attendees, differs from other forums with its unique format. Top-tier candidates will take their turn onstage and will be asked real questions by real people, rather than giving canned speeches. This design is meant to put power back in the hands of the people and hold candidates accountable to what we the people really value.

“This is a historic day in which the grassroots communities of America will tell the participating presidential candidates that we are interested in real change,” Rehab said. “Americans are tired of fear-mongering and exclusion; we want leadership that will fight for the community values of America that made us the greatest nation on earth. We will tell them that we are all in this together.”

The forum is an important part of the Campaign for Community Values, a multi-issue and multi-year effort to challenge the divisive message of the right and to promote Community Values. The Campaign for Community Values is a collective by more then 100 community-based organizations from all over the country to have an impact on public opinion and the 2008 elections.

CAIR, America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy group, has 33 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.